The present invention relates to a beverage container carrier suitable for sale and transportation of beverages in containers such as cans or bottles, and which also serves as a disposable cooler for the containers.
Collapsible paperboard carriers for beverages contained in cans or bottles are commonplace in the industry. Examples of various such carriers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,860,816 issued Nov. 18, 1958 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,672 issued Aug. 20, 1991. Such carriers are examples of one of the many types of commercially used packaging used in the transportation and sale of canned and bottled beverages such as soda, beer, wine coolers, etc.
The present invention relates to the novel adaptation of a common beverage six-pack which enables the same to perform a dual function wherein it also serves as an ice-containing cooler for the beverage containers. The cooler may be either disposable either after a single use or optionally after multiple uses.
Briefly summarized, the invention provides a carrier for beverage containers formed of a sheet material such as paperboard which includes a bottom panel attached on opposite lateral sides to outwardly sloping lower side panels, a pair of opposed end panels connected at their lower peripheries to the bottom and side panels, and a pair of upper side panels each integrally connected to the upper periphery of one of said lower side panels. The upper side panels are provided with a plurality of openings, for example, six, each of which is adapted to receive a beverage container. While 6 openings are used in the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that other configurations having 4, 8 or even 12 openings can be used. The upper side panels are also integrally connected at their ends to the end panels and to a top panel which is integrally connected on its sides to the upper edges of the upper side panels and to the end panels. The top panel is provided with openings for access to the central interior of the carrier which allows for filling the carrier interior with ice. The top panel is preferably provided with a raised central portion which serves as a carrying handle for the carrier. A top closure panel is provided which is adapted to close the access openings. The interior of said carrier may be provided with waterproof protective inner lining, which may be a flexible plastic sheet material such as polyethylene or polypropylene.